The Who is a British rock band formed in 1964. The Who main formation is vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. They are known with their energetic concerts, including as the pioneering of instrument destruction on stage.The Who have sold more than 100 million pieces of record album and successfully placed 27 singles in Top 40 United Kingdom charts and United States, as well as 17 albums in Top 10 album charts. In the United States, they have received 18 gold records, 12 platinum and 5 multiplatinum to their best seller albums.
The Who climb up to the their top popularity in United Kingdom with a series of singles that entered the top 10 charts, starting in January 1965 "I Can not Explain" song. The Who popularity assisted with some radio that playing their songs such as Radio Caroline.
They continue their awesome work with My Generation album (1965), A Quick One (1966), and The Who Sell Out (1967). My Generation and A Quick One album entered on the top 5 British album charts. Their first song that reached the Top 40 United States is "Happy Jack" followed by "I Can See for Miles" that entered in Top 10 in the same year.
The Who 1969
They reached their peak of popularity with an impressive concert at the Monterey music festival and the Woodstock Festival. While Tommy album (1969) was The Who beginning step on the United State top 10 albums, followed by Live at Leeds (1970), Who's Next (1971 ), Quadrophenia (1973), The Who By Numbers (1975), Who Are You (1978), and The Kids Are Alright (1979).The Who abandoned by their drummer Keith Moon who died in 1978 at the age of 32 years then Kenney Jones joined the band to fill drummer position. With their new drummer The Who released two more studio albums before finally breaking up in 1983. Album Face Dances (1981) succeeded fill the top 5 rank in United States and Britain, while It's Hard (1982) entered at number 5 on US top album charts.
Since that moment the band only did a reunion performance for big events like Live Aid and reunion tours such as 25 anniversary tours in 1989, the Quadrophenia tour in 1996 and 1997.
In 2000, the rest of band member discusses the possibility to record a new album with new material, but their plan has to be temporarily canceled due to the death of their bassist John Entwistle (57 years) in 2002. Untill in 2006 Pete Townshend and Daltrey continue The Who, and they released a studio album Endless Wire and entered the top 10 charts in United States and United Kingdom.
The Who immortalized in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museums in 1990. The exhibition of them in the museum commemorates the band as "the main challenger, in the view of many people for the title of World's Largest Rock Band."
The Los Angeles Times wrote that during their tenure as a quartet, the band "rivaled The Beatles, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones as the most vital rock voice of youth." Time Magazine wrote in 1979 that "No other group has ever pushed rock so far, or asked so much from it."
They also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Phonographic Industry in 1988 and from the Grammy Foundation in 2001. In 2008 surviving members Townshend and Daltrey were honoured at the 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors.
The Who - My Generation [Woodstock 1969]
